Federal Judge’s Oath of Office

The oath is a combination of the judicial oath of office required of every justice and judge of the United States under 28 U.S.C. § 453, and the general oath administered to all federal government officials, provided in 5 U.S.C. § 3331:

I, ______________ [insert federal judge’s name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all duties incumbent upon me as _______________ [insert office] under the Constitution and laws of the United States; and that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

The clerk is not authorized to provide copies of judges’ oaths of office. If you have questions about a particular judge’s oath of office, you may write to:

Judges Compensation and Retirement Division
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building
One Columbus Circle, N.E.
Washington, DC 20544